Description: Leading Kurow into the mountains, Rugal begins the training he promised the boy. But it appears 'learning through pain' is not a motto unique to the Kyokugen Dojo.
'I can teach you,' he had said. And he meant it. Whatever he sees in the young man that makes him worth the investment, Rugal has stayed true to his word. The message came to meet him somewhere a few hours north of Southtown at the foot of one of the many mountain ranges that run along the island of Japan. Like last time, the hour is early in the day, the sun barely cresting the horizon as it brings morning into full effect.
When Kurow arrives, Rugal is waiting. "Training must take on many forms. While in the end, it comes down to being able to strike and last longer than your opponent, the steps it takes to reach that point of victory start long before the fight itself ever begins." he had stated. "Come. Let us climb."
And with that, the tyrant of 'R', in his traditional orange-red suit no less, turns and begins to ascend the mountain up a steep path. The trail is relentlessly difficult. At times the two must leap over gaps along the sides of cliffs, only to land on narrow outcroppings with less than inches to spare. At other times they must scale the face of nearly bare rocks, literally smashing their own hand and foot holds into the surface with their raw strength, before cimbing up a step and smashing out the next foothold. As evening begins to approach, they traverse their way into a cave behind a waterfall. Rugal brought with him no light with which to pierce the darkness they find themselves surrounded in eventually, leaving Kurow to follow by sound alone and hopefully avoiding as many of the stalactites as possible.
The pace the veteran fighter maintains is grueling throughout the entire trip. No break is offered. No chance to pause and catch one's breath. Only continuing, no matter the effort, is permitted. No stopping for food. In fact, no provisions were even brought. Rugal himself is working up a sweat with this venture, yet he never sheds that suit coat of his. As if enduring the heat with the layered attire is all part of the experience for him. He says virtually nothing during the trek, focusing only on moving as swiftly and efficiently as possible. Precise with his movements in travel as he is in combat. No effort goes wasted.
Finally, exiting the cave, the two find themselves in a valley, nestled high atop the mountain. A lake is nearby with the slowly setting sun reflecting against the surface, turning it into a pool of vibrant orange fire. There are buildings nearby. Old, run down, traditional Japanese structures of ages past; they clearly haven't been dwelt in for centuries. Stone walls lie mostly in ruin. A swift, cooling breeze blows over the area, bringing with it promises of a chilly night ahead.
Walking over to a single fence post still standing guard in the dirt, the older man shrugs off his suit coat at long last, drapping it over the pole. "Now," comes that gruff, low voice at long last as he begins to unbutton that white dress shirt of his, moist with the perspiration that had been trapped beneath the coat throughout all of that, "We are ready to start training."
When Kurow arrives, he slips back into the mode of 'student' without hesitation, listening and accepting; while his last teacher has been dead for many years, barely under half of Kirishima's life, the memories have definitely persisted. When Bernstein tells him of the nature of fighting, he nods; when he brings up the topic of climbing, he again nods, saying, "I will be right behind you."
Without a doubt, this is some of the most grueling training Kurow has ever endured, in terms of raw physical demands. Mugen Imawano did not teach him what Rugal is teaching him now; he was taught how to focus his chi, how to move his body like a whip, but never to simply force through obstacles the way Rugal does now. Leaping over narrow gaps comes naturally, but the bare rocks force Kurow to the limits of his strength. He does not use Bernstein's created footholds even once, though -- he knows to do anything less than to make his own way every step is to defy the spirit of the training.
The path is long and arduous, and Kirishima -- not willing to do anything less than his mentor -- is in full Justice High uniform, rather than his usual better-ventilated, more flexible modification for fighting. It makes each step all the more difficult... yet also all the more worthy. By the time they reach the cave, Kurow is sweating buckets. His body has already begun to cry for him to stop, but he persists in spite of it all, into the cave. Here is where he shines, in spite of his fatigue; his senses are sharp and keen, as any good assassin's. His movements are every bit as precise as Rugal's, here -- and being in his element allows him some small chance to recuperate.
When they come out of the cave, Kurow is forced to shield his eyes for a few moments as he readjusts, looking around the dilapidated little village and taking a few deep breaths, now that he finally has the chance /to/ breathe. The youth carefully removes his uniform's jacket, likewise, leaving only a deep blue shirt that is part of Justice's /summer/ uniform on his torso. Nodding, he says, "I am ready. Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Bernstein," trying to keep the fatigue he's built up over that long trek out of his voice.
As the powerful fighter sheds the white dress shirt, leaving a tightly fitting, green muscle shirt (with fishnets!) over his torso, he inspects Kurow pointedly. He is silent for a long moment until there is finally the faintest of nods, token of approval. The young man has held up well over the fifteen mile hike that would test the endurance of even veteran mountaineers. That is what Rugal expected of the boy and he carried through flawlessly.
"Good." he pronounces as the student declares his readiness. "You are gifted, Kurow Kirishima. Your ability to integrate the moves of other fighters is admireable. It takes more than a body honed to a razor's edge of ability to do it. It takes a sharp, acute mind as well. You must never stop studying the styles of other fighters. Each warrior brings to battle his or her nuances. Those idosyncracies that make them weaker must be discarded, of course. But there will be small details that will be beneficial to learn. There is no shame in assimilating such into your own techniques. No one style is superior. Not a single one. Those who stay fixated on only perfecting one method of attacking and defending will always be left behind by those of us willing to synthesize /all/ superior techniques into our repertoire."
As he speaks, he draws fingerless gloves from his suit pants pockets, drawing each of them over his hands, pulling them tight. "Fools will mock you for stealing the techniques of others. Grinding such craven idiots into the dirt is all the proof you need that you know better than they. For tonight's lesson," the man continues, cracking his knuckles, "I will demonstrate techniques from other fighters on you. I will be testing your reflexes in dealing with attacks of all types, but that is not all. I require that you identify from which fighter I may have observed the technique from and then do your best to perform the attack back on me. I do not expect you to be able to perfectly replicate all of the abilities I will be throwing your way. But I do expect you to do your best..."
The nature of the lesson has been explained thus. And now it's time for it to begin. When Rugal next moves the shift from standing to attacking happens with a blur as he spins around and then twists himself into an flip through the air toward the young man, extending his legs into splits, demonstrating far more flexability than one might expect from the tall man. As he comes down out of the flip, his forward leg comes smashing down toward the young man with incredible force. The flipping, arching kick covers a lot of ground very swiftly, but it does follow a predictable trajectory through the air. Something Kurow may have seen exercised by certain Tae Kwon Do elites... "HAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Rugal has started a fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kurow has joined the fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Kurow with Strong Kick.
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Rugal 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Kurow
"I know what you say is true," Kurow says, with a firm nod, in response to Rugal's explanation of the upsides of being able to integrate many moves into one's style, and make them one's own. "I've managed to catch many off guard with techniques they didn't expect from an Imawano-trained fighter. It's been an excellent tool... though I have been caught off guard experimenting more than once." And that, it seems, is all the youth has to say about that; he's eager to begin the training itself, after all. He listens to what remains of Rugal's lesson, and then goes to defend himself --
-- just a split second too late. Rugal's too fast for him to anticipate, when the shift from explanation to battle is so sudden; the flip-kick catches Kurow squarely on the shoulder, sending him straight down to the ground with a terrifying amount of force. However, he doesn't let that prevent him from facing the challenge put before him; just as quickly as he's knocked down, he pulls himself back to an upright position, this time more fully in stance.
"The Kim family," Kurow hisses, still a little labored from the journey and the powerful kick. "Kaphwan himself, more specifically; his children tend to wreath their strikes in chi rather than relying on the pure power of their bodies." While he hasn't had the pleasure of facing any of them in direct combat, Kirishima is nothing if not well-studied. After all, he was allowed little time for anything else in the early years of his life.
And now comes the harder part of the trial -- matching Rugal Bernstein technique for technique. His attack is perhaps not as lightning-fast as Bernstein's, as it is unpracticed and unrefined. But this is a simple technique, when one does not consider raw speed as a factor; it's child's play for one such as Kurow to send his body into that same flip, that same spin-kick... just negligibly slower.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Kurow's Strong Kick.
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kurow
Whether he expected Kurow to actually be able to avoid that first attack is hard to say. Already the young man's limbs must be feeling the burn of the travel and the respite offered once they exited the cave was so painfully short as to almost not really be a break at all. The young man is struck down and Bernstein slides his feet back together, pushing himself back into a standing position out of the splits he had landed in before taking two steps backwards.
"Your accuracy is commendable," Rugal replies as the boy correctly identifies not only the family from which the move came but the nuances in how the father fights compared to his two capable sons. "Kaphwan is not without chi himself. But he uses his lifeforce to lend greater strength to his physical attacks rather than spending it on external manifestations. This is effective against the unwary who may dismiss his kicks as not being as threatening as chi laden attacks may appear, only to find that he strikes with power far beyond his stature would suggest." And then comes the attempt to demonstrate the flipping kick on Rugal himself. The tall man raises a single, muscular arm to intersect Kurow then, flexing it at the precise moment necessary to properly absorb and redistribute the force as the lighter weight fighter's leg collides with his forearm.
"Good," comes the appraisal, "Dig deep, like Kaphawn. There is more to drawing upon chi than the flashy powers his braggart sons utilize." But there is little time to reflect upon that as Rugal leans forward into his next attack, taking advantage of the time it takes Kurow to get back up, as well as their relative proximity, to reach out and grab the boy, turning him around in his arms such that he has a bearhug hold around his stomach with his powerful arms.
And with that, Rugal leaps up into the air into a backward trajectory. Kurow finds himself on course with what could be a very painful suplex-like drop. A powerful German Earl attempted the same to Bernstein not long ago, but the crimelord was too swift to be smashed against the ground as his victim had hoped.
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Rugal's Medium Throw.
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kurow
This time, Kurow is ready for a fight -- and when Rugal comes in for the grab, he knows exactly what to anticipate. After all, that German caught him with a similar tactic when he'd tried to advance in; he knows how to defend against it, this time. He even has time to say, "Kaphwan is an admirable fighter -- even if I don't agree with him, there is definitely much to learn from his techniques," as -- in a remarkable feat of both flexibility and strength -- the youth manages to turn himself /back/ around in Rugal's arms and force his legs up, pushing quickly off of Rugal's chest with them and extracting himself in the barest of moments before Bernstein can actually complete the suplex. Risky, and close... but the only way Kurow could have seen enough of the technique to mirror it.
"There are several that one could be gleaned from, depending on just how much of it is tailored to your own needs; Michael Haggar and Wolfgang Krauser are the examples I'd think of most readily, but that's merely recent personal experience," Kirishima answers, as he lands on the ground and starts to move around Rugal, somewhat wary. "There's a Russian who employs similar tactics, too," he adds, "but without more study I can't fully place the technique."
Now, of course, comes the hard part once again. This one is particularly tough for Kurow, as he's hardly built to grapple -- but what's the harm in trying? The youth tries to move around behind Rugal, using his claws to augment his grip on the heavier, stronger fighter before trying the same leap-and-smash technique that was tried on him mere moments ago. It is not the best duplication, but Kurow would likely have an easier time using the move on another high school student rather than the massive man before him.
COMBATSYS: Kurow successfully hits Rugal with Medium Throw.
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Rugal 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Kurow
As the young man wrests himself free, Rugal corrects for it immediately. He would have used Kurow's head to land on in an excruciating way. But now that he is free, Rugal shifts his arms, catching his fall with his open hands and adjusting into a single roll before coming up on his feet, turning around to regard the prodigy fighter.
"Yes. Brute force manipulation of your opponent. Do not underestimate its uses, even if it seems inappropriate for your stature. Those you fight will believe you incapable of hefting them in such a way... but I know you have it in you. Their false assumptions will be their weakness."
And it seems Kurow is given the chance to demonstrate that as he wraps his arms around Rugal. The man makes no effort to avoid the attack this time, allowing the youth to heft him into the air and carry him back down into the smashing suplex in the end, dust rising up from the ground around the fighters from the soft dirt that looks almost not to have been disturbed by human hands in many years.
Bernstein sits up and pushes himself back to his feet, nodding his approval. "Such a show of raw, brute force, when used against the unexpecting, can throw them off their guard - make them doubt their knowledge about you..."
And then Bernstein's arm comes up, clenched in front of him in a fist, his powerful arm flexing as orange flames course along his forearm. There is a look of intense concentration for a moment before Rugal steps forward, swinging that arm down and toward the side, as if casting an incredible amount of pent up energy out and away from him. A massive firestorm of flaming orange chi eminates outward from him then, a veritable cloud of burning energy that completely surrounds Rugal both in front and behind, though the majority of it is extended out toward Kurow.
It shouldn't be hard to guess the famous lineage of that attack - especially in light of who Rugal has lost to in the past... it's no wonder he would make sure that he could mimic the technique. However, Kurow will find that while it appears just like the original, it doesn't burn with real flames, only the illusion of them. And it isn't quite as devestating as the real deal would be.
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Kurow with Barrier Crash.
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Rugal 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Kurow
Something about seeing that familiar technique, the flames of the Kusanagi that Kurow once mimicked himself without a second thought... this time, it fills him with loathing. Loathing for potential wasted, and not just his own. It is only fitting that even simulated, those flames burn him badly, ripping through his form. For a second, he can't believe he was caught off guard by a technique he himself attempted to use, once, in an attempt to draw out Yagami -- but disbelief quickly gives way to understanding.
"Kyo Kusanagi," Kurow hisses, the malice apparent in his voice as he comes in toward Rugal, his movements starting to build in intensity. However, he reins it in quickly; this isn't Kyo, obviously. "Not quite ancestral bloodline flames, no, but potent just the same... and quite the surprise for one who doesn't have the ability to notice the differences between the real thing and a particularly good copy." Knowing the full technique to be both more powerful and faster leaves Kurow in a tough position -- which to emphasize?
... speed, he thinks to himself,as he takes a few quick steps in toward Bernstein. The youth stops, concentrating entirely on his chi, flames likewise beginning to mass along his arm. His are a deeper red, closer to his own natural chi -- after all, technique is the key here, not appearance, and focusing on color -- while important in a disguise -- is not crucial to the technique itself. Just as Rugal did before him, Kurow whips his arm out to the side, sending a flame-like wave of energy out in front of him. It is adept, but the move is not quite divorced from his own techniques yet -- the 'wave', under close inspection, is in fact four distinct horizontal waves that blend into one another. It needs work, but what's there isn't a bad starting point.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Kurow's Kuukan Saki.
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Rugal 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Kurow
As the faux-flames strike home, Kurow becomes acutely aware of the lesson to be learned there. His words earn him a nod - Rugal himself having become strangely quiet as the subject of Kyo has been deliberately brought to the forefront. There were many lessons folded into that single attack on his part, and Kurow manages to touch upon them all. Not just in what he says, but how he says them. The realization of what the point was is even more important than Bernstein's execution of the attack in the first place.
"Yes," is all he states. There is no need to elaborate. Kirishima nailed it on the head. When the young man comes back at him with his own attack, Rugal raises one arm high, his forearm bracing across the front of his face. His other hand is tucked in close to his chest, palm out, fingers splayed. Both arms and open hand catch most of the force of the student's version of the legendary technique as energy splashes against the taller man, shining bright in the dusk that has settled in around the two.
The attack fading away, the tyrant of 'R' lowers his defense before folding one arm over his chest. "Very good. You have done well thus far. We will continue in ten minute's time... but for now, rest." His other arm gestures toward the surface of the lake, a pool of black reflecting the silvery moon that has manifested itself now that the sun has set. The young man has earned a repose for his performance thus far, it would seem. The first break since the climb up the mountain started an entire day's length ago.
COMBATSYS: Rugal gains composure.
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Rugal 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kurow
That repose is quite welcome, considering the day's exertions, and Kurow is more than happy to take it; his muscles demand he take at least a little rest, and his shoulder, still aching from that punishing kick, would definitely like a little tender medical attention or at least a break from being used for high-intensity combat training after something like /that/. The youth looks to the lake as Rugal gestures, and walks toward its dark waters.
He splashes a little water from it onto his shoulder, not doing much for the pain in the long run but certainly soothing for the moment. Doing something about that one injury, though it does not attend to the multitude of other problems Kurow has experienced over the course of the day, makes them all feel a little less agonizing; having even a small respite is a remarkable boon in a situation like this. "Thank you," he says, with a nod. "This has been extremely valuable, so far... and I haven't been pushed this close to my limits for this long in years." That truly was a different time, Kirishima thinks to himself, as he sits and breathes, at the side of the lake.
"Mugen Imawano..." he says, mostly to himself, as he looks out on the water and simply breathes. No further words escape his mouth, for now; it has not yet quite become time to tell Rugal the full story of the man who first taught him to kill. Of the man who taught him how to subvert the wills of others to his own (though with his own harsh, direct method, something Kurow has abandoned in recent days for something deeper, more personal). Now is a time to look to the future, after all -- not the past.
COMBATSYS: Kurow drops his guard to recover.
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Rugal 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow takes no action.
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Rugal 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Rugal has saved the state of this fight.
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Rugal 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kurow
"Limits," Rugal chuckles deeply, having moved to stand near the young man taking the offered respite at the shore of the crystaline lake, "are for everyone else. Men like you and me do not have limits, Kurow Kirishima,merely regions of our potential that we have yet to explore. Only by driving ourselves longer and harder than ever before can we unlock that potential, opening the way to even greater power."
He clenches his fist tightly, the sound of the soft black leather glove adjusting accompanying the movement. And with that he is quiet for a long while, staring out over the giant watery mirror hidden away in this remote mountain valley. "Everything within sight when we stepped out of that cave is my property. It was my father's favorite retreat and his father before him. Bernsteins for many generations back would come to this place, among many others just as remote, whenever our family became... less than appreciated by some nation or other." He sounds amused at the frequent moves his childhood must have entailed. A wealthy family of crime loyal to no flag would have had to relocate from time to time for certain. Perhaps it's no surprise he committed so much of 'R's resources to building a carrier eventually.
"In time you will see other such places around the globe. I find it refreshing to train with different scenery from time to time. Each place has its own mood, its own story, its own history and secrets, unique as any fighter you will ever face." He pauses then, never even having stopped to get a refreshing drink from the pristine water. "It's been ten minutes, come."
And with that, he turns to walk away from the lake, returning to stand near the fence post where his jacket and shirt were hung to air out an hour ago. "I have studied yoru fights extensively. You leverage your speed to great extent in avoiding your opponents' desperate attempts to strike you. But done too often and they begin to expect that of you and will attack with wider, sweeping, and perhaps slower attacks, expecting that you won't take advantage of the opening they leave by risking stronger attacks against you."
The man flexes his hands, then turns his side to face Kurow, his near arm bent at the elbow, his hand back near his rear shoulder, while his further arm is bent at the elbow to stick out at his side, fingers clenching and unclenching. "The lesson continues then, but there is a new rule in addition. Stop the attack and strike me before I can recover from it. Teach me not to gamble so carelessly against a fighter of your calibur!!"
He leans forward then, rushing toward the young man, ready or not, before pausing just out of striking range to crouch slightly. His forward arm, the one that seems like it was positioned for defense, tightens, and then swings up and over Rugal, his hand turned to the side, slicing through the air like a knife. Kurow might not know of Bernstein's history with the Ikari Warriors, but he might recognize the deadly, swift slashing attack of one of their most powerful all the same.
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Rugal's Fierce Punch.
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Rugal 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow counters Fierce Punch from Rugal with Double Slash.
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Rugal 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Kurow
If there is some subtext to Bernstein inviting Kurow to a place that has been in his family for generation upon generation, Kurow does not yet pick up on it; he does not quite understand Rugal in such a manner, yet, though on some subconscious level he picks up on the /gesture/. It makes him all the more ready to face the challenges Rugal places in front of him, and when he is told to come, he comes.
"I've been somewhere similar before," he says, off-handedly, as he looks around. It would be easy to surmise who brought him to a similar, equally secluded location for the same purpose... but never quite completed what he'd set out to do. In a way, for Kurow, it's as if he's picking up precisely where he left off those years ago. Rugal is similarly demanding, but in a different way. And since Rugal is focusing on some of Kurow's weaker traits... it's as though he's a child again.
... but with knowledge and skill that he could never have dreamed of in his earliest years. It is this that allows him to refocus his energies and look Rugal's attack square-on. He can't just shift out of the way -- if he does, Rugal would punish him fiercely for the attempt. When that cutting swipe comes at him, he flares out his claws and slips those on one hand right into the quickly-moving arm. "... I haven't seen that in ages -- not since studying Daigo... his opponent was Leona Heidern."
Having Rugal's hand caught is an opportunity that Kurow does not hesitate to act on, either, because he knows Bernstein expects nothing less -- he brings his own hand back, and goes through exactly the same slashing motion as Rugal did before him, twisting the claws on his other hand as he slips them out to add a little extra pain to the series of cuts. "The techniques of that family have always intrigued me -- I have to wonder if there isn't a common 'ancestor' between their style and my own."
As his arm is stopped by the stabbing claw, Rugal presses down with it even harder, as if to crush the boy beneath the swing all the same. But Kurow is swift to strike out with his other arm, slashing the taller, older man, taking advantage of that opening provided him. One might expect being struck by the well mirrored attack of a hated enemy would do more to the warlord's psyche, but he seems to cope with the pain of the slashes and the reflection of Heidern's technique as easily as anything else thus far, backing off a step and shaking his stabbed arm once to the side, small flecks of blood dropping into the dust at his feet.
"Many styles have similar origins if one digs back far enough. It is good to ponder such things." He is quiet for a moment as if contemplating the young prodigy's style further. "When you punish your opponent in such a way, it won't be unusual for them try to out think you. You've demonstrated that you won't permit them to swing with careless, lazy attacks in an attempt to just get a lucky hit. Some will conclude that if they attack you in such a way as to not leave you something physical to stab into with your weapon or catch with your arm that you will be afraid to exploit their openings in the same way. You must anticipate this and be ready to prove them wrong. Never... never let your opponent dictate your response. I will attack you again with one final attack... You must defeat your fear of my power, live through it, and strike me with whatever strength you feel you still have. And to that... I bid you good luck." His tone is sincere but cold. The test he is about to send the young man's way is taking training to the next painful... brutal... and potentially fatal level. Failure here could very well spell a swift end to the promising future of young Kirishima, mowed down by an attack born by legendary fighters throughout the ages.
Rugal brings his arms behind him, building up an incredible amount of power. It starts as small white flashes of light but quickly grows from there. Not all of it is visible either - there is a sense that Bernstein is tapping into something deep within himself - a source of power few mortals could ever claim to possess. The air around him ripples as the energy in his hands builds up.
"Behold!" And then he brings his arms forward swiftly, discharging all of the power held in his fists as well as even more energy that he funnels down his arms into one gigantic wave of blindingly bright, destructive force. Kurow has experienced the Haoh Sho Ko Ken from the young man he has had to fight several times in sanctioned combat or otherwise... compared to what Rugal sends his way now, that attack doesn't hold a candle. "The KAISER WAVE!"
COMBATSYS: Kurow interrupts Kaiser Wave from Rugal with Kinki Chikarasui.
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Rugal 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Kurow
Last time, Kurow tried to leap out of the way of this attack, when he faced it down against Kruaser. Not bracing himself, not facing the attack square-on got him torn apart. He didn't try to do anything to protect himself, save 'get away'... and this time, Rugal has taught him that sometimes one must face the attack dead-on rather than move away from it. All thought of the similarities between his own technique and Heidern's, all thoughts of the theory behind Rugal's training are dropped as Krauser's familiar burst of energy slams forward.
He doesn't have the time to get out of the way this time. He has only one option: face it straight, just as Rugal said. Bursting forward, there is a flare of energy around Kurow that insulates him from some of the worst of the attack. It is painful... but Bernstein's first kick was worse. All that he needs to do now, as Rugal put it, was strike with all he felt he still had. He could just jab Rugal, make some token effort, and likely -- thanks to the raw force of the attack -- receive little admonition for it. But... he knows he can do better.
And, naturally, he does. Before Rugal can remove himself from the stance necessary to manifest the Kaiser Wave, Kurow takes a quick breath -- and slams a claw right into Rugal's throat. What comes next is likely a very long series of surprises.
The first surprise comes when Kurow actually lifts the tyrant of "R" with one arm; indeed, he manages to hoist the man as far above him as his arm's length will let him, a difficult but not altogether insurmountable feat. After all... he /has/ done it to Gan before, who is easily as heavy. The second comes when a faint red 'mist' of chi begins to travel down his arm, going down his chest and then back out his other arm. Rugal will doubtlessly know what's happening to him instantly -- his chi is being ripped from his body. "... I'd never expected to see Wolfgang Krauser's technique used against me again," he says, with a smile. "I appreciate the challenge!" As he finishes his sentence, he throws Kurow away with all his might, sending him nearly to the water's edge.
Kurow manages to get to him the moment the tyrant was about to pull his arms back and preemptively stop the young man's retaliation, punishing him for being too slow in spite his best efforts. But speed is on the side of Kirishima today as he sinks his claws into his larger opponent.
Many have been paralized by such a precise stab into the nervous system with those sharp claws and even Rugal seems slowed down by the attack, the muscles in his arms flexing but seeming to not have the strength to lift his hands and wrest himself free. His fingers spasm, the first sign that after all this he can indeed feel pain, just like any other. But where lessor men would be silently limp in Kurow's grip, he'll find that there is a sound coming from the crimelord's chest. A deep, dark chuckle, "Heh, heh, heh," even as his powerful chi is being siphoned from his body by the young man's attack.
As he throws him to the side, the man recovers in mid-air, landing on his feet, black shoes sinking slightly into the more moist dirt alongside the lake. "Yes... yes..." His tone is one of contemplation and approval. The viciousness of Kurow's attack, the committment to go all out even against the man who has promised to teach him so much... he's every bit as ruthless as Bernstein had expected him to be.
"It is as I had hoped. Fearless... brutal... You have what it takes, young man. There is more to teach you, but you understand the principles. I will continue to show you so much more... Now come, attack me however you see fit. Entertain me... show me something you believe I have yet to see before..."
The man extends his arms out to his sides, exposing his muscular chest and stretching to his full height. Even after the attack Kurow landed, he seems ready for a lot more. Picking an attack to strike Bernstein with that he hasn't seen before? That might be quite the challenge indeed!
COMBATSYS: Rugal focuses on his next action.
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Rugal 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Kurow
Normally, Kurow is self-sufficient, sure in all things. But when being trained, like many men, he feeds on praise and approval. When Bernstein says that everything is as he had hoped, Kurow can't help himself from smiling -- Bernstein's approval means Kurow has a powerful mentor... and an opportunity for more power of his own, something that he has been taught from birth to want so badly.
The challenge to Kurow -- show Rugal something he hasn't seen before -- is simultaneously flattering (that he thinks he has something that Rugal's almost fifty years of life experience will not have seen) and daunting (because he's not sure he has the capacity for that). It takes him a second to think -- what would Rugal not have seen? It forces him to either make something up on the spot or use techniques of fighters Rugal wouldn't know... which, considering his involvement with the schools of Southtown, is not entirely improbable.
The young man spends the small time that Rugal gives him debating between the two -- and ends up at least /trying/ the first, before defaulting to pure imitation. It's not something he can enter into lightly... but he'll certainly try. Advancing in, Kurow takes a hard step forward, aiming a kick for Bernstein's chin... and, if he can land that kick, grabs the man by the head and uses the starter force of the kick to bring Rugal over his head and then toss him away. The component parts are obviously nothing new, but the combination might be.
COMBATSYS: Rugal interrupts Strong Throw from Kurow with Scorpion Deathlock.
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Rugal 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Kurow
When Kurow's foot strikes out, Rugal makes no attempt to avoid it. It lands with enough force to turn his head a little, but powerful neck muscles manage to absorb most of the impact and it seems quite likely that the Justice High student gets a grip on Bernstein's head pretty much because the man lets him. And he seems inclined to let him hurl him through the air as well, putting his young but strong body to work in moving the crimelord off his feet. An accomplishment not many can claim.
However, as Rugal's body is thrown into the air, the man reacts with lightning reflexes - perhaps moving faster than the boy has ever seen him perform before as he reaches out with his arms as he is flipped over and snatches a hold of Kurow by the neck, pulling him along with his momentum through the air.
Rugal's feet land on the ground, sliding several inches through the soft, dusty soil, holding Kurow out in front of him, both of Rugal's powerful hands grip him around his neck with strength greater than any vice. The student might begin to wonder if perhaps he did /too/ well in his training. Maybe Rugal sees him as an up and coming threat someday and has decided to put a stop to that right now by snuffing out his life while he is still young enough to be manhandled so? The hold tightens, but that's not all.
White chi pours along one of Rugal's arms into his fist, discharging right inot Kurow's neck. The inverse of the attack he had done to Rugal moments ago, proving in a sense that for all the chi he managed to extract from Bernstein in that moment... the tyrant of 'R' has so much more where that came from. He blasts the boy without mercy for a moment, but he doesn't kill him. Not now. Instead he brings him closer, their eyes locked on one another. While Rugal may have seemed the beneficient mentor type in all of his dealings with Kurow thus far, the young man gets to see another side of him right now, his expression menacing, dark, his mouth and mustache curled into a scowl as he utters the final lesson for tonight.
"I know how you think for you are much like I was as a boy. Maybe not now... but someday... someday you might think that I am in your way... that in order to move ahead you must strike me down and clear the path for your accension... If that day comes, I will be ready. While you will continue to grow more powerful, especially with my instruction, my strength is not waning... Oh no... I will grow mightier than all the titans that have walked the face of the earth. I will crush each of them, one by one - mere stepping stones in my way toward my ultimate goal. Keep that in mind. For any day you chose to turn against me will be your last. I will not hold back... Now, I will never speak of this matter with you again."
Those crushing hands release their hold and the glowering, threatening aura around the man fades as suddenly as it had appeared and he seems calm, composed once again, his arms folded over his chest. "That is all for tonight. You should rest and make your way home on the morrow. You did well. I wish my s..." There is a shadowed look in his eye at that point but it passes as he shakes his head. "You did well," he repeats, his tone distant in a way. He steps over to where his shirt and coat have hung and begins to put them back on, pulling the white dress shirt over his arms and buttoning it up slowly, his face raised to the moon-lit heavens above, the sky awash with a sea of stars. As the last button is in place and the black string tie is done up, he reaches down and lifts his coat, slinging it over his shoulder, holding it in place by hooking his finger it the collar.
"For now on, every time we meet to train, I desire that you be prepared to show me something new. Something that perhaps I have never seen before. It will be good. For the both of us."
The reversal is downright shocking -- and for a second, just a second, Kurow does know that fear. Rugal has said, or at least intimated (and /definitely/ says a split second after this thought goes through Kurow's head) that the young Kirishima is much like himself, in many ways... and Kurow is certainly not above drawing a potential competitor in with promises and then eliminating them as a threat shortly thereafter. The feeling of the chi pouring into him, ripping through his entire body is agonizing, especially after going through the Kaiser Wave.
Gritting his teeth in an attempt to block out the pain, Kurow tries not to show his initial fear at Rugal's actions and subsequent mix of relief and dread at his words. When he is dropped from Bernstein's hold, he replies, throat still tight from the forceful grab, "I understand. With that in mind, I hope the day never comes that one of us outlives his use to the other." Kurow is intimiately familiar with the relationship between the weak and the strong, and is not about to overestimate his own strength against Rugal's. As much as he seeks to attain a position of strength, he knows that it will be a long time before he matches Rugal.
The young man listens to Rugal, nodding and saying, simply, "Thank you, sir," at the mention that he did well; he is not about to pry into what else Bernstein almost said, after what just happened, though. He has his guesses, his hunches, but they will remain that for now. Instead, he addresses the other topic. "Something new... heh. I'm glad you think so highly of me," he replies, with a small smile. "I'll endeavor to have a few new tricks up my sleeve every time we meet, then. ... though if I may be frank, I expect the same of you, though I have no doubt it'll be easier for you than for me -- it will be a healthy exercise for both of us." Looking over the land that Rugal's family has used to hide and plan for so many generations in the past, the land that he will rest in tonight, Kurow cannot avoid thinking that the future looks very bright indeed.
There is that deep throated chuckle again as Kurow speaks. It isn't one of mocking derision in the slightest. Indeed, there is a hint of approval in it. "It will indeed," he agrees. And with that, he turns to walk off. Beginning the arduous climb back down the mountain without so much as a break.
He doesn't expect that of Kurow yet. Especially not after what he just put the boy through. It's only appropriate that he rest up tonight. One step at a time, after all. Improving through means faster than that tends to require dipping into powers best left untouched... for they will only betray you in the end. A lesson Bernstein well knows.
Log created on 02:26:09 07/26/2007 by Rugal, and last modified on 04:05:43 08/02/2007.